Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Dahlia pinnata. 
Variety denomination: xe2x80x98Balnovostxe2x80x99.
The present invention comprises a new and distinct Dahlia plant, botanically known as Dahlia pinnata and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Balnovostxe2x80x99.
The new cultivar is the product of a planned breeding program. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar was xe2x80x98Figaro Whitexe2x80x99 (unpatented) which exhibits white flowers. The male (pollen) parent of the new Cultivar was a mix of pollen from the Dahlia pinnata series xe2x80x98Figaro Improvedxe2x80x99, which exhibits flowers of red, rose, mauve, salmon, yellow or white. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the above stated cross during 1998-1999 in Elburn, Ill. and was initially designated PAS11428-4.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal tip cuttings taken during 2001 at West Chicago, Ill., has demonstrated that the characteristics of the new cultivar as herein described are firmly fixed and reproduced true to type through successive generations of such asexual propagation.
It was found that the cultivar of the present invention:
(a) forms semi-double inflorescences with lavender and white bicolor ray florets;
(b) exhibits an upright mounded form; and
(c) exhibits a moderately vigorous growth habit.
xe2x80x98Balnovostxe2x80x99 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length without, however, any variance in genotype.
The new cultivar of the present invention can be compared to xe2x80x98Bettyxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,762). However, in side-by-side comparisons, xe2x80x98Balnovostxe2x80x99 exhibits shorter branches and lighter colored, larger flowers with fewer but larger ray florets.